Saturday Themeless by Zhouqin Burnikel
1. Squad whose Double-A affiliate is the Rumble Ponies: METS - A baseball lead off by C.C.!
14. Rink leap: AXEL - How 'bout a triple?
15. __-free: DUTY.
16. Shoyu dish: RAMEN Recipe
17. "Don't move": STAY WHERE YOU ARE.
20. Part that has a radius but no diameter: ARM - The radius joins the wrist on the thumb side of your hand.
23. Feature: ASPECT.
25. Seattle hrs.: PST.
26. Political network: C-SPAN - Is there a non-political one?
27. Media company that claims to be the largest producer of Spanish-language content: TELEVISA.
32. Hiding place: LAIR.
33. Chorizo, por ejemplo: CARNE - Meat. Ten things about Chorizo
36. Italian bread: EURO - Money not a bakery product
37. Deal-maker: AGENT - AGENT Scott Boras has negotiated record $1.217 billion worth of contracts this winter. That’s about $121 million for Boras to keep for himself this winter. Team owners don't like to see him walk in the door.
38. "This can't be happening!": OH NO.
39. Ingredient in some exfoliators: ACID - Contains Salicylic Acid, Exfoliating Body Lactic Acid and Hyaluronic Niacinamide
41. Deal that generates interest: LOAN
42. Investor's concern: NET YIELD - e.g. (exempli gratia - more Latin)
53. TripTik org.: AAA.
55. Sighed line: THAT'S THE WAY IT IS - C'mon, you thought of him too from back when TV News mostly hid their political views.
Down:
1. Atole ingredient: MASA - Atole: In Mexico, it is a drink typically includes MASA (corn hominy flour), water, piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar), cinnamon, vanilla, and optional chocolate or fruit.
2. Trattoria request: EXTRA SAUCE - What is a trattoria? and 18. "That's enough": WHEN.
4. Cute: SLY.
5. Not permanent: AD HOC.
9. "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" novelist: BRONTE - A first edition that uses Anne Bronte's pseudonym of Acton Bell.
12. Successor to Claudius: NERO - Did he fiddle while Rome burned? Tacitus suspends judgment on Nero's responsibility for the fire; he found that Nero was in Antium when the fire started, and returned to Rome to organize a relief effort, providing for the removal of bodies and debris, which he paid for from his own funds. After the fire, Nero opened his palaces to provide shelter for the homeless, and arranged for food supplies to be delivered in order to prevent starvation among the survivors.
13. Was certain of: KNEW.
19. "We totally should!": YES LET'S.
25. Rasta pasta pasta: PENNE.
28. Trio in Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3: VIOLAS - As a full service blogger, I will link to some of that
29. Facing trouble: IN HOT WATER.
30. One who may face an up-Hill climb: SENATE AIDE 😀 - Oh, going up the capitol hill!
31. In lockstep: AS ONE - Certainly the U.S.M.C. Silent Drill Platoon does just that.
33. Writing on the wall?: CAVE ART - This wonderful example of 17,000 year old CAVE ART is in the Lascaux Cave in south central France. It is no longer open to public tours.
44. "Holy __!": MOLY.
46. Blown away: WOWED.
47. Picks up: HEARS - My kids loved using this parabolic reflector
48. Gate stats: ETDS - Airport gates
49. Masala __: CHAI - Masala chai is a popular beverage throughout South Asia, originating in the early modern Indian subcontinent. Chai is made by brewing black tea in milk and water and then sweetening with sugar. Adding aromatic herbs and spices creates chai, although chai is often prepared unspiced. You're welcome.
54. Continent with nine island nations: ASIA - The Island Nations of ASIA are: The Philippines, Sri Lanka, The Maldives, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, East Timor, Taiwan and Brunei.
Notes from C.C.:
Our Thursday Sherpa waseeley (William Seeley) and I made today's USA Today puzzle. It's edited by Jared Goudsmit. Click here to solve. Congrats on your worldwide puzzle debut, Bill!